Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera Royle) is an invasive plant species, posing significant ecological problems due to its rapid spread and difficulty in eradication. Given that invasive species may also represent a potential source of bioactive compounds, this master's thesis aimed to investigate the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in extracts from I. glandulifera and evaluate their antioxidant and biological properties. Extracts were prepared using various solvents (water, ethanol, acetone, dichloromethane, n-heptane) under different extraction conditions (room temperature, 50°C, 70°C, and reflux).
The total flavonoid content (TFC) was determined by a colometric method using AlCl3, while the total phenolic content (TPC) was measured with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Antioxidant activity was assessed by three chemical assays (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP). To better understand the biological potential of these compounds, human endothelial cells (EA.hy926) were used to measure cytotoxicity (resazurin assay) and intracellular antioxidant activity (CAA test).
The results showed the presence of phenolic compounds in the aqueous extracts, whereas the acetone and ethanol extracts contained both phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Thus, the aqueous extracts were richer in non-flavonoid compounds, while the acetone and ethanol extracts exhibited higher flavonoid content. Antioxidant activity was confirmed in all tested extracts, with acetone extracts displaying the highest values. Cellular assays indicated that most extracts were non-cytotoxic towards endothelial cells, with some even enhancing cell viability. The CAA assay revealed only weak or negligible intracellular antioxidant activity, suggesting limited bioavailability of antioxidants within cells or their reduced efficacy within the intracellular environment.
In conclusion, Himalayan balsam contains potentially useful bioactive compounds that could be further explored and isolated as natural antioxidants for applications in food, pharmaceuticals, or cosmetics. For precise identification of active constituents and evaluation of their biological efficacy, further research is needed, including fractionation of extracts, compound identification and extended testing using additional cellular models over longer exposure periods.
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